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Stopping Deer
This time of the year is great (obviously) for reading about hunting stories and such. One thing I've noticed though is a lot of hunters will call out to deer to get them to stop so they can shoot them usually with a "maaa" or something of the sort.
While I have done this myself on more than one occasion, I only do it if the deer is on a good pace and I don't think I can make a clean shot. If the deer in just slowly walking I won't make a sound and I will shoot them mid stride or when they stop to browse or what have you. I've actually been studying this for some time and there is areason why. I have found that approximately 90% of the deer I shot that I had to call to stop have ran out of sight, most of them pretty far (over 100yds) before dying. Conversely, approximately 90% of the deer I shotwithout making any sound,fall within sight (under 50yds). Most of the time they will react to the impact and run for a bit then stop or continue walking until they fell over just as my deer did this year. I believe the deer that hear your mouth call, stop to look to see where the sound is coming from and automatically go on alert. I think they know what they heard just wasn't quite right and are ready to bolt but being curious animals they hesitate. When they get hit by an arrow they now KNOW something is wrong, instinct kicks in and they flee. If they don't hear a sound, and are not on alert,all they can compute is a sudden pain. They react to it but then calm down quickly. Nature is a rough customer and deer get injured a lot. Deer don't have the brain capacity to compute things like us and can't reason out what just happened. This is why (IMO) the deer have reacted the way they do. I've been studying this for many years now...it just takes time to gather the data.:D Just thought I'd share my findings....opinions anyone? |
RE: Stopping Deer
Interesting to say the least. I have never thought about it like that. I always make the "maaaa" noise and stop the deer. For some reason I don't feel comfortable shooting at an animal while it's in motion.
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RE: Stopping Deer
I hardly ever make a noise to stop a deer. I hate ratcheting up the attention of an otherwise undisturbed animal. To me personally, that never made any sense.
If the deer is really moving through with a sense of purpose, I will make an attempt, but otherwise, Ijust let thingsplay out. |
RE: Stopping Deer
Great post. Now that I think about it, I've noticed the same thing. I've stopped deer that were moving fast and they usually run further after the shot. Every deer I've shot without stopping I've watched fall (except the one I hit in the liver).
Interesting theory. I think there's something to this. |
RE: Stopping Deer
ORIGINAL: Jimimac I hardly ever make a noise to stop a deer. I hate ratcheting up the attention of an otherwise undisturbed animal. To me personally, that never made any sense. If the deer is really moving through with a sense of purpose, I will make an attempt, but otherwise, Ijust let thingsplay out. |
RE: Stopping Deer
Your results are overwhelming, but nothing like mine. I've notnoticed any connection, at all. I used to do the Maaa, thing, but after spooking one I've changed. I now do the tick tick noise, like a cowboy uses to giddyup his horse.
Even if I had the same results, I would rather track a bit longer than shoot a moving deer. |
RE: Stopping Deer
Last year I "stopped" a small buck with a mouth bleat before I shot him.
When I made the sound, the deer immediately trotted directly toward my stand looking for the "doe" he'd heard. It brought him about 10 yards closer. He was looking for the doe when I put one through his boiler room. Indeed he did run approximately 100 yards after he was hit even though at the time I shot him he didn't seem to be on "alert" for anything dangerous. Good observation, one I have never before considered. I'll be paying attention from now on. |
RE: Stopping Deer
ORIGINAL: goherd1111 Interested to say the least. I have never thought about it like that. I always make the "maaaa" noise and stop the deer. For some reason I don't feel comfortable shooting at an animal while it's in motion. I think even a marginal shot will have better results if the deer wasn't on alert before the shot. They just don't feel the need to continue running. You have to understand how they think. and the manner of which they compute things. If not on alert and presented with a sharp pain, it seems like they equate that with the immediate area they are in. They all seem to "get out" of that immediate spot very quickly (10-30yds) but then once cleared, they will stop and some even have looked back with curiosity before becoming weak and fall over. |
RE: Stopping Deer
ORIGINAL: mobow Your results are overwhelming, but nothing like mine. I've notnoticed any connection, at all. I used to do the Maaa, thing, but after spooking one I've changed. I now do the tick tick noise, like a cowboy uses to giddyup his horse. Even if I had the same results, I would rather track a bit longer than shoot a moving deer. Y'all do what you want. Me, I much prefer a nice relaxed deer and let the game come to me instead of forcing the issue. When a deer is relaxed and moving through, they stop quite frequently on their own. Why push it unless there is no other alternative? |
RE: Stopping Deer
If no alternative I stop them...and yes I have noticed they bolt alot faster and farther after they hear you mouth something. For me, I like em stopped before I shoot.
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RE: Stopping Deer
I've never stopped a deer to shoot with my bow. Tried once but he didn't stop so I shot him anyways as he was pretty close.
I'll take my chances with them stopping on thier own. |
RE: Stopping Deer
ORIGINAL: Jimimac When a deer is relaxed and moving through, they stop quite frequently on their own. Why push it unless there is no other alternative? Like Jimimac has posted, most of the time the deer will just stop on it's own, if oblivious to your presence they will simply do as deer do....and that involves a lot of stopping.:D The ones I have shot while walking I felt were very easy shots, really after a few it's really no big deal and I have found the results far out weigh the (what I conceive) minor risk. |
RE: Stopping Deer
ORIGINAL: mcouey Last year I "stopped" a small buck with a mouth bleat before I shot him. When I made the sound, the deer immediately trotted directly toward my stand looking for the "doe" he'd heard. It brought him about 10 yards closer. He was looking for the doe when I put one through his boiler room. Indeed he did run approximately 100 yards after he was hit even though at the time I shot him he didn't seem to be on "alert" for anything dangerous. Good observation, one I have never before considered. I'll be paying attention from now on. Yep it's possible your deer thought he heard a doe and came in to investigate, but once hit with an arrow he figured out pretty darn quick it wasn't a doe and got outta dodge! Believe it or not he was on alert, maybe not to danger but to "something" making noise. He could have thought it was a doe, or just some strange sound that he wanted to investigate because it sounded like a doe. Once the arrow flew the jig was up though. A deer waking through the woods will step on branches and have them kick up on them,or fall on them etc...They react to it but then go about their business. They will also have things spook them and they react the same way. I can't tell you how many posts I've read where a hunter takes a shot with their bow....misses and says something to the effect. "the deer bolted for a few yards then stopped" or somethinglike that. The deer reacted to the arrow whizzing by and got out of that immediate area only to slow back down again. Sure they may move out of that area after that but they're not sprinting away. |
RE: Stopping Deer
John,
I guess I don't know what you're point is. If you shoot a relaxed (not voice stopped) deer and he goes 50 yards VS an unrelaxed, voice stopped deer and he goes 100 yards, whats the difference? It may not always be true, but your chances of making a better shot are with the stopped deer. A double lung, heart shot deer won't go 100 yards no matter how disturbed he is, most of the time (90% or better). Not all relaxed deer go through the woods stopping frequently. I've had bucks with a nose full of hot doe trot at a fast pace long enough to get well out of range before stopping. I think it's best to asses each situation individually, then make the decision whether to stop it or not. Some need it, some don't. Incidentally, I prefer not to stop them. This year it almost cost me a deer by not doing so. |
RE: Stopping Deer
ORIGINAL: GregH John, I guess I don't know what you're point is. If you shoot a relaxed (not voice stopped) deer and he goes 50 yards VS an unrelaxed, voice stopped deer and he goes 100 yards, whats the difference? It may not always be true, but your chances of making a better shot are with the stopped deer. A double lung, heart shot deer won't go 100 yards no matter how disturbed he is, most of the time (90% or better). Not all relaxed deer go through the woods stopping frequently. I've had bucks with a nose full of hot doe trot at a fast pace long enough to get well out of range before stopping. I think it's best to asses each situation individually, then make the decision whether to stop it or not. Some need it, some don't. Incidentally, I prefer not to stop them. This year it almost cost me a deer by not doing so. I agree, a double lung or heart shot deer will die soon (for the most part)no matter how alerted they were. It's the not so perfect shots that this will help. I think a lot of folks get them selves into a situation that they wouldn't have been in if the deer wasn't alerted to them by a mouth call. I too have had many deer especially bucks in rut cruise by with no intention what so ever of stopping on their own and in those situations I will try to stop them. I also agree it's best to access each situation as it comes. I've just been gathering some information over the years and wanted to share. |
RE: Stopping Deer
ORIGINAL: BigJ71 ORIGINAL: GregH John, I guess I don't know what you're point is. If you shoot a relaxed (not voice stopped) deer and he goes 50 yards VS an unrelaxed, voice stopped deer and he goes 100 yards, whats the difference? It may not always be true, but your chances of making a better shot are with the stopped deer. A double lung, heart shot deer won't go 100 yards no matter how disturbed he is, most of the time (90% or better). Not all relaxed deer go through the woods stopping frequently. I've had bucks with a nose full of hot doe trot at a fast pace long enough to get well out of range before stopping. I think it's best to asses each situation individually, then make the decision whether to stop it or not. Some need it, some don't. Incidentally, I prefer not to stop them. This year it almost cost me a deer by not doing so. I agree, a double lung or heart shot deer will die soon (for the most part)no matter how alerted they were. It's the not so perfect shots that this will help. I think a lot of folks get them selves into a situation that they wouldn't have been in if the deer wasn't alerted to them by a mouth call. I too have had many deer especially bucks in rut cruise by with no intention what so ever of stopping on their own and in those situations I will try to stop them. |
RE: Stopping Deer
If they're moving fast enough that I can't shoot them on the move....I have 2 choices:
1) Try to stop them or 2) Let them walk I guess the caliber of deer would make my decision for me (ex - I'm not going to try and stop a doe or a non shooter buck). I've stopped ONE deer.....and he's at the taxi. I've tried to stop a couple more and they paid me NO mind. |
RE: Stopping Deer
ORIGINAL: mobow I would suspect you are correct......But, on the flip side of this, wouldn't it be better to give yourself the very best odds at a perfect shot? In my mind, that's with a stopped deer. Now, the flip side of THAT is.....they may be more likely to "jump the string" so maybe it's 6 of one, half dozen of another....I dunno, but I think I'll continue to stop them. I deer strolls into your area with not a care in the world stopping every so often to feed or what have you. Sometimes (actually most of the time) they will stop on their own in a spot where you can get a shot off. When I have this type of situation happen to me I will not stop the deer. I will find an opportunity to draw then I will wait for the deer to stop on it's own. If the deer doesn't but is just meandering around and will soon meander out of my lanes I will let the arrow go. Again at the risk of repeating myself (too late:D)there are a lot of variables to consider: pace the deer is walking, distance away, etc... |
RE: Stopping Deer
Now that I really think about it, many of my bucks stopped on their own, but a few havent either. I always have tried to stop them or have them be still if I am gonna shoot them with a bow. I have never taken a moving shot on a buck with my bow. I mouth grunt at them to stop them. I have had one buck react negatively to a mouth grunt, as he jumped immediatly out of his skin...for what ever reason and I didnt get a shot as he bounded off, he didnt even look at me he just exploded away... the others I all got still shots on them.
interesting topic, I agree with the logic of stop them first, giving thehunter the best shot...worry about the tracking later.. as a great shot takes care of that anyway... |
RE: Stopping Deer
Alright! We've come full full circle!;)
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RE: Stopping Deer
I have shot one walking
I have let some walk by and not try to stop them I have stopped one and shot it. I have decided to take it one deer at a time. Let the situation dictate what I do. I will tell you this for sure, I will not try and stop one after MI's gun season. A loud fart will send them running, and they just run, no looking up in the tree to see what made thet noise. |
RE: Stopping Deer
I've noticedmore thanonce whenwatching huntingvids that some monster deer have been spooked out of range trying to stop them with a mouth bleat/grunt or snort-wheeze when they would havewaltzedby inshooting range without any real need to stop them. That being said, I'd much rather shoot at a stationary target, but I usually hit them in stride unless they are at a trot and I need to stop them. Luckily, I haven't spooked one yet. I have given some thought to getting a hands-free inhale grunt call to try to make it a more realistic sound than by mouth alone. Anyone use the hands-free calls?
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RE: Stopping Deer
ORIGINAL: Germ I have shot one walking I have let some walk by and not try to stop them I have stopped one and shot it. I have decided to take it one deer at a time. Let the situation dictate what I do. I will tell you this for sure, I will not try and stop one after MI's gun season. A loud fart will send them running, and they just run, no looking up in the tree to see what made thet noise. I actually started thinking about this years ago. I always made a sound to stop the deer and almost inevitably after the shot they took off like a rocket. This left me with some very long and time consuming tracking jobs. If the deer was hit good, he would be a hundred or so yards away, no big deal...BUTif it wasn't as good a hit as I would have liked the deer was recovered many hundreds of yards away and sometimes after a day or so of searching.[:@] As I started to analyze what was happening I started to think about how easy it was to find my deer that I didn't have to stop (ones that just came in and stopped on their own before I could even give them a short "maaa"). So Idecided tostop arbitrarily "stopping deer" with a mouth call and found what I have already posted. For the most part, I have found that relaxed deer at the time of the shot will not run as far away even with a less than perfect hit. In fact considerably less. |
RE: Stopping Deer
Well 2 years ago I tried stopping a deer that was walking by at a fast trot, probably less than 10 yards away. It jumped about 10 feet in the air and ran about as fast as a cheetah away from me, needless to say I did not get a shot off and was left saying to myself why theheck didn't I just put the pin on him shoot and follow through...
I believe that same year I watched a buck come by me about 20 yards away, but it was way too dark at the time. That buck (at a slow trot), kicked a small brush pile, making noise, and scared himself bad enough to jump up and run for 10-20 yards or so. So I will not be stopping deer anytime soon, not saying that is the right way, just my way, I would rather shoot at a deer that isn't on alert. Deer being the way they are (paranoid), there probably isn't a right answer that works 100% all of the time. |
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RE: Stopping Deer
I decided not to "maahhh" at deer anymore because I got to thinking, what if your specific "maahhh" at that pitch or tone means, hey imma beat the living !@#$ out of you, in deer language? -or- your "maahhh" sounds like the equivalent of a superdeep-voiced 250lb brunette looking for a willing participant? Thus I've settled on a "pssst" becauseI think deer will investigate any sound that isn't threatening to them.
I wont stop slow walking orbrowsing deer though. |
RE: Stopping Deer
BigJ has a point though. If I were a deer and heard some out of the ordinary noise putting me on alert followed by excruciating pain in my side and abdomen, I'd spendthe last2 minof my liferunning as fast and far away as I could. In that time, considering I can run 40mph, I'd be 300 plus yards away before I even thought about slowing down.
Conversely, and because I don't know any better, if I didn't hear any noise alerting me at all, then there was just a sudden pain, I'd move out of the immediate way then look back to see what the heck just happened. In this last2 min of my life, I wouldn't have gone far from where I first felt the pain. Then of course I'd just lay down or drop dead. It could definitelymean the difference in recovery or not. Directly related,I really do believe that the buck I shot this year would've gone a helluvalot farther if he knew that there was a guy with some sharp sticks in a tree just 70ish yards away from where he decided to stop then plop over. He lived about 2min between me shooting him and him falling over, all 4 legs fully extended. |
RE: Stopping Deer
ORIGINAL: BigJ71 This time of the year is great (obviously) for reading about hunting stories and such. One thing I've noticed though is a lot of hunters will call out to deer to get them to stop so they can shoot them usually with a "maaa" or something of the sort. While I have done this myself on more than one occasion, I only do it if the deer is on a good pace and I don't think I can make a clean shot. If the deer in just slowly walking I won't make a sound and I will shoot them mid stride or when they stop to browse or what have you. I've actually been studying this for some time and there is areason why. I have found that approximately 90% of the deer I shot that I had to call to stop have ran out of sight, most of them pretty far (over 100yds) before dying. Conversely, approximately 90% of the deer I shotwithout making any sound,fall within sight (under 50yds). Most of the time they will react to the impact and run for a bit then stop or continue walking until they fell over just as my deer did this year. I believe the deer that hear your mouth call, stop to look to see where the sound is coming from and automatically go on alert. I think they know what they heard just wasn't quite right and are ready to bolt but being curious animals they hesitate. When they get hit by an arrow they now KNOW something is wrong, instinct kicks in and they flee. If they don't hear a sound, and are not on alert,all they can compute is a sudden pain. They react to it but then calm down quickly. Nature is a rough customer and deer get injured a lot. Deer don't have the brain capacity to compute things like us and can't reason out what just happened. This is why (IMO) the deer have reacted the way they do. I've been studying this for many years now...it just takes time to gather the data.:D Just thought I'd share my findings....opinions anyone? I HATE to stop deer but when hunting thickets with small shooting windows,it is a necessary evil but please remember that when stopping a deer,SHOOT LOW as I forgot to do so this year and it cost me a deer.I had everything pegged on this deer but I HAD to stop it in a lane but she looked at me when I did and I forgot to shoot low,she ducked to bolt and I missed.(only time I have ever had this happen and I have missed before) I have killed deer as far out as 34 yards walking and didn't stop them and you just have quicker recoveries if you can do it that way. Shooting a walking deer is not hard at all,the biggest mistake people make is trying to time the release.Get on the animal with the pin and rotate at the hips with the animals stride and just squeeze the shot off as you rotate.Follow through as if you are shooting a shotgun and more often than not,the animal will be killed quickly. |
RE: Stopping Deer
ORIGINAL: Germ I have shot one walking I have let some walk by and not try to stop them I have stopped one and shot it. I have decided to take it one deer at a time. Let the situation dictate what I do. I will tell you this for sure, I will not try and stop one after MI's gun season. A loud fart will send them running, and they just run, no looking up in the tree to see what made thet noise. But yes big John, the ones that have been put on alert even with a bleat seam to go much farther than ones that didn't have a clue. Shot one in Kansas that was smelling some JVS I had out and just gave a glance toward the bownois and went right back to smelling the JVS after the arrow had went through him till his legs would no longer hold his body weight, and quite a few others over the years that would just jump and look to see what just stung them or bolt for a short distance then stop look back and then just fall over. On the other hand I cant think of one that I stoped with a bleat, grunt, or even a whistle (back in the 70's) that did not burn rubber till they melted away. |
RE: Stopping Deer
ORIGINAL: Sliverflicker ORIGINAL: Germ I have shot one walking I have let some walk by and not try to stop them I have stopped one and shot it. I have decided to take it one deer at a time. Let the situation dictate what I do. I will tell you this for sure, I will not try and stop one after MI's gun season. A loud fart will send them running, and they just run, no looking up in the tree to see what made thet noise. But yes big John, the ones that have been put on alert even with a bleat seam to go much farther than ones that didn't have a clue. Shot one in Kansas that was smelling some JVS I had out and just gave a glance toward the bownois and went right back to smelling the JVS after the arrow had went through him till his legs would no longer hold his body weight, and quite a few others over the years that would just jump and look to see what just stung them or bolt for a short distance then stop look back and then just fall over. On the other hand I cant think of one that I stoped with a bleat, grunt, or even a whistle (back in the 70's) that did not burn rubber till they melted away. She was part of my "case study".....Yes all in the name of science.;) Now if I can only get some one to finance me....a grant perhaps?:D |
RE: Stopping Deer
Maybe this theory has a little something to it but I for one do not necesarilly agree. I have stopped many of deer by making a sound and I have seen them go down within eyesight (50 yds.). It also depends on where the shot placement was. If you double lung or heart shot a deer, it usually does not matter if you stopped it or not it will/should go down within sight.
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RE: Stopping Deer
ORIGINAL: Sport4 Maybe this theory has a little something to it but I for one do not necesarilly agree. I have stopped many of deer by making a sound and I have seen them go down within eyesight (50 yds.). It also depends on where the shot placement was. If you double lung or heart shot a deer, it usually does not matter if you stopped it or not it will/should go down within sight. Early on I shot many a deer that I stopped with a mouth call rightthrough both lungs or right through the heart only to have them take off on a dead sprint right out of sight. Quite the opposite started happening once I stopped "stopping them" with mouth calls. Even marginally hit deer: one lung, one lung and liver, etc...died within sight, and the ones with good hits on them dropped even closer. Not all, but most, again there was always exceptions. |
RE: Stopping Deer
ORIGINAL: Sport4 Maybe this theory has a little something to it but I for one do not necesarilly agree. I have stopped many of deer by making a sound and I have seen them go down within eyesight (50 yds.). It also depends on where the shot placement was. If you double lung or heart shot a deer, it usually does not matter if you stopped it or not it will/should go down within sight. Add in thepossibility of string jumping, rushing the shot, or the chance of it just haulling a$$ when you oink at it, I just wont oink unless I got to! |
RE: Stopping Deer
ORIGINAL: Sliverflicker ORIGINAL: Sport4 Maybe this theory has a little something to it but I for one do not necesarilly agree. I have stopped many of deer by making a sound and I have seen them go down within eyesight (50 yds.). It also depends on where the shot placement was. If you double lung or heart shot a deer, it usually does not matter if you stopped it or not it will/should go down within sight. Add in thepossibility of string jumping, rushing the shot, or the chance of it just haulling a$$ when you oink at it, I just wont oink unless I got to! |
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